>>1933206my point basically is not to say that you should get a gravel bike (you shouldn't, unless you're a roadie with a strong preference for drop bars already), or even to say you shouldn't get an xc or trail hardtail.
Just consider if you actually like the weight weenie gear minimalism part of bikepacking on a hardtail.
A rigid mtb like a surly troll/ecr/bridgeclub or a kona unit x with a fork designed for a full size rack/panniers/basket would give you considerably more and easier capacity for gear. That would be more flexible.
What you're intending is a valid but niche and meme setup.